Donald G. Gleason, Jr. ’71

Donald G. Gleason Jr., 72, of Simsbury, Conn., passed away Monday afternoon, May 17, 2021, in his home surrounded by family. Born in Salem, he was the son of the late Donald G. Gleason Sr. and Violette (Morin) Gleason. Donald was a graduate of Bishop Fenwick High School, Maine Maritime Academy, and he earned his MBA from Babson College, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude and was awarded the Douglass Prize.

After graduating from Maine Maritime Academy, Donald was employed at Bath Iron Works, Sylvania, and subsequently as a First Engineer Merchant Marine for MEBA. He was also a yacht broker for several years during this time and later purchased Fels Company. He concluded his professional career working at O&G Industries in Conn.

His love for sailing started as a boy in Marblehead Harbor. From that point on, Donald was recruited to be the skipper of any sailboat he ever raced on. While at Maine Maritime Academy, he skippered the sloop, “Good News,” in races up and down the East Coast and was Commodore of the yacht club. He was also a member of the Portland Yacht Club.

Surviving him are his three daughters, Amy Gardner and her husband, Patrick, of Southborough, Mass., Molly Gleason and her husband, Adam Webster, of Danville, Vt., and Beth Kittredge and her husband, Andrew, of Yarmouth, Maine; six grandchildren, Olivia, Owen, Amelia, Lucy, Ethan, and Chloe; two sisters, Kathleen Bindley of Northfield, Ill., and Carol Dignan of Kingston, Mass.; his partner of eight years, Melinda Dombrowski of Farmington, Conn.; many nieces and nephews, and his former wife and mother of his children, Cynthia Luce of Yarmouth, Maine. He was predeceased by his parents Donald and Violette Gleason; and his brother, Peter, who was lost at sea in October of 1970.

The family would like to extend their gratitude to Saviour Awuku of Companions and Homemakers, Dr. Harriet Kluger’s research team at the Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale New Haven, and McLean Hospice.

A funeral service will be held at the Campbell Funeral Home located at 525 Cabot Street in Beverly on Saturday, May 22, 2021, at 10 a.m., funeral service will be live-streamed at www.campbellfuneral.com. Visiting hours are on Friday, May 21, 2021, from 2 to 4 p.m. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. A burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Salem will be scheduled at a later date. Information, directions, and condolences at www.campbellfuneral.com.